scholarly journals Fish Oil Supplementation in Pregnancy Increases Gestational Age, Size for Gestational Age, and Birth Weight in Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2018 ◽  
Vol 149 (4) ◽  
pp. 628-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Kofod Vinding ◽  
Jakob Stokholm ◽  
Astrid Sevelsted ◽  
Bo L Chawes ◽  
Klaus Bønnelykke ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Background Randomized trials have reported that supplementation with n–3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in pregnancy can prolong pregnancy and thereby increase birth weight. Objective We aimed to examine the relations of n–3 LCPUFA supplementation in pregnancy with duration of pregnancy, birth weight, and size for gestational age (GA). Methods This was a double-blind randomized controlled trial conducted in 736 pregnant women and their offspring, from the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood2010cohort. They were recruited between weeks 22 and 26 in pregnancy and randomly assigned to either of 2.4 g n–3 LCPUFA or control (olive oil) daily until 1 wk after birth. Exclusion criteria were endocrine, cardiovascular, or nephrologic disorders and vitamin D supplementation intake >600 IU/d. In this study we analyzed secondary outcomes, and further excluded twin pregnancies and extrauterine death. The primary outcome for the trial was persistent wheeze or asthma. Results The random assignment ran between 2008 and 2010. Six hundred and ninety-nine mother-infant pairs were included in the analysis. n–3 LCPUFA compared with control was associated with a 2-d prolongation of pregnancy [median (IQR): 282 (275–288) d compared with 280 (273–286) d, P = 0.02], a 97-g higher birth weight (mean ± SD: 3601 ± 534 g compared with 3504 ± 528 g, P = 0.02), and an increased size for GA according to the Norwegian population-based growth curves-Skjærven (mean ± SD: 49.9 ± 28.3 percentiles compared with 44.5 ± 27.6 percentiles, P = 0.01). Conclusion Supplementing pregnant women with n–3 LCPUFAs during the third trimester is associated with prolonged gestation and increased size for GA, leading to a higher birth weight in this randomized controlled trial. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00798226.

2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (12) ◽  
pp. 1690-1702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Ting Yu ◽  
Wan-Chi Huang ◽  
Wu-Shiun Hsieh ◽  
Jui-Hsing Chang ◽  
Chyi-Her Lin ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Family-centered intervention for preterm infants has shown short- to medium-term developmental benefits; however, the neurological effects of intervention have rarely been explored. Objective The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of a family-centered intervention program (FCIP) on neurophysiological functions in preterm infants with very low birth weight (VLBW; birth weight of < 1500 g) in Taiwan, to compare the effect of the FCIP with that of a usual-care program (UCP), and to explore the FCIP-induced changes in neurobehavioral and neurophysiological functions. Design This was a multicenter, single-blind randomized controlled trial. Setting The study took place in 3 medical centers in northern and southern Taiwan. Participants Two hundred fifty-one preterm infants with VLBW were included. Intervention The FCIP group received a family-centered intervention and the UCP group received standard care during hospitalization. Measurements Infants were assessed in terms of neurobehavioral performance using the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Examination–Chinese version, and their neurophysiological function was assessed using electroencephalography/event-related potentials during sleep and during an auditory oddball task during the neonatal period. Results The FCIP promoted more mature neurophysiological function than the UCP, including greater negative mean amplitudes of mismatch negativities in the left frontal region in the oddball task in all infants, lower intrahemispheric prefrontal-central coherence during sleep in infants who were small for gestational age, and higher interhemispheric frontal coherence during sleep in those who were appropriate for gestational age. Furthermore, interhemispheric coherence was positively associated with the total neurobehavioral score in preterm infants who were appropriate for gestational age (r = 0.20). Limitations The fact that more parental adherence strategies were used in the FCIP group than in the UCP group might have favored the intervention effect in this study. Conclusions Family-centered intervention facilitates short-term neurophysiological maturation in preterm infants with VLBW in Taiwan.


2013 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Endy P. Prawirohartono ◽  
Lennarth Nyström ◽  
Detty S. Nurdiati ◽  
Mohammad Hakimi ◽  
Torbjörn Lind

Background: Prenatal supplementation with micronutrients may increase birth weight and thus improve infant health and survival in settings where infants and children are at risk of micronutrient deficiencies. Objective: To assess whether vitamin A and/or zinc supplementation given during pregnancy can improve birth weight, birth length, neonatal morbidity, or infant mortality. Methods: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial supplementing women (n = 2173) in Central Java, Indonesia throughout pregnancy with vitamin A, zinc, combined vitamin A+zinc, or placebo. Results: Out of 2173 supplemented pregnant women, 1956 neonates could be evaluated. Overall, zinc supplementation improved birth length compared to placebo or combined vitamin A+zinc (48.8 vs. 48.5 cm, p = 0.04); vitamin A supplementation improved birth length compared to placebo or combined vitamin A+zinc (48.7 vs. 48.2 cm, p = 0.04). These effects remained after adjusting for maternal height, pre-pregnancy weight, and parity. There was no effect of supplementation on birth weight, the proportion of low birth weight, neonatal morbidity, or mortality. Conclusions: Prenatal zinc or vitamin A supplementation demonstrates a small but significant effect on birth length, but supplementation with zinc, vitamin A or a combination of zinc and vitamin A, have no effect on birth weight, neonatal morbidity, or mortality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 226-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozge Serce Pehlevan ◽  
Derya Benzer ◽  
Tugba Gursoy ◽  
Guner Karatekin ◽  
Fahri Ovali

Background: Probiotics and prebiotics have strain-specific effects on the host. Synbiotics, a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics, are proposed to have more beneficial effects on the host than either agent has alone.Purpose: We performed a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium together with oligosaccharides and lactoferrin on the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or sepsis in very low birth weight neonates.Methods: Neonates with a gestational age ≤32 weeks and birth weight ≤1,500 g were enrolled. The study group received a combination of synbiotics and lactoferrin, whereas the control group received 1 mL of distilled water as placebo starting with the first feed until discharge. The outcome measures were the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or late-onset cultureproven sepsis and NEC stage ≥2 or death.Results: Mean birth weight and gestational age of the study (n=104) and the control (n=104) groups were 1,197±235 g vs. 1,151±269 g and 29±1.9 vs. 28±2.2 weeks, respectively (P>0.05). Neither the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or death, nor the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or late-onset culture-proven sepsis differed between the study and control groups (5.8% vs. 5.9%, P=1; 26% vs. 21.2%, P=0.51). The only significant difference was the incidence of all stages of NEC (1.9% vs. 10.6%, P=0.019).Conclusion: The combination of synbiotics and lactoferrin did not reduce NEC severity, sepsis, or mortality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Amezcua-Prieto ◽  
M. Naveiro-Fuentes ◽  
N. Arco-Jiménez ◽  
R. Olmedo-Requena ◽  
R. Barrios-Rodríguez ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Previous studies in pregnancy have not focused in evaluating the effect of walking during pregnancy and prevention of insomnia. Our general objective is to determine the effect of a walking program in preventing the appearance of insomnia in the third trimester of pregnancy, increasing sleep quality and improving quality of life throughout pregnancy. Methods Randomized Controlled trial in parallel in healthy sedentary pregnant women (n = 265), Walking_Preg Project (WPP), from university hospital in Granada, Spain. At 12th gestational week (GW), they will be invited to participate and randomly assigned to one of the three arms of study: the intervention group I1 (pedometer, goal of 11,000 steps/day), intervention group I2 (pedometer, no goal) and control (no pedometer). Duration of intervention: 13–32 GW. At 12th, 19th and 31st GW the average steps/day will be measured in groups I1 and I2. At 13th, 20th and 32nd GW, Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Adherence to Mediterranean Diet (AMD), physical activity (short IPAQ), quality of life (PSI), and consumption of toxic substances (caffeine, illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco) will be collected. Student t test or Mann-Whitney U will be used to compare 19th and 31st GW mean of daily steps between I1 and I2 groups. To compare differences between groups in terms of frequency of insomnia/quality of life for each trimester of pregnancy, Pearson’s Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test will be used. To determine differences in hours of sleep and quality of sleep throughout each trimester of pregnancy, analysis of variance or Friedman test will be used. McNemar-Bowker test will be used to assess differences in life quality in pre-post analyses in the 3 arms. We will use Stata 15 statistical software. Discussion promoting walking in second half of pregnancy through use of pedometer and health pre-registration of a goal to be achieved –'10,000–11,000 steps a day’– should prevent appearance of insomnia in third trimester, will increase sleep quality and quality of life in pregnant women. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03735381. Registered 8th November, 2018.


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